Monthly Archives: May 2011

Because food slicers require relatively little exertion or dexterity, using a third-party vendor to prepare meat and cheeses can be needlessly costly. Food slicers start at just $90, with top-of-the-line models in the three thousand dollar range. But with the added expenses charged by third-party delis, with any regular use, the machines can quickly pay for themselves.
Most restaurants that specialize in sandwiches purchase and use food slicers as a staple piece of equipment, but even small cafés can economically invest in one. Meats and cheeses purchased in large, bulk blocks cost immensely less than prepared cold cuts, and by lowering an ingredient's budget so significantly, your profit margin will expand as well. Though it might be used less, perhaps only weekly, slicers are durable machines, so that over the period of months they will incrementally lower expenses while remaining in near-mint condition. Over years, their increase to a small business's profits can be immense.

The operation of food slicers, too, requires little to no specialization. With a little practice, any and every employee can work them, and without excessive liability. Additional blades in the workplace may seem to be magnified risk, but modern slicers have a minimally exposed area of danger; any injuries would almost need to be intentional. No one manager would then need to operate the slicer. Every employee could quickly learn the machine during general training demos, increasing the self-sufficiency of a business without a dramatic increase to its workers' responsibilities.

Memorial Day is this weekend and what better way to turn up the heat than by grilling? Well, we'll tell you. We've found the perfect side dish to your meat or fish entree that is equally refreshing as it is spicy and flavorful. {Not to mention its main ingredient captures the very essence of summer.} This Watermelon and Serrano Chili Salad is juicy and sweet with a nice kick of heat, and it's sure to get things fired up for your Memorial Day Weekend.
Ingredients:
1/2 Watermelon (6-7 cups)
2 serrano chili peppers
1.5 tsp lime zest
1.5 freshly squeezed lime juice
2 tbsp rice vinegar
2 green onions
handful mint (1/3 cup chopped)
small handful cilantro (1/4 cup chopped)
salt and pepper to taste
What You'll Need:Mixing Bowl & WhiskKnives & Cutting Board
Juicer {for extracting lime juice}
Measurers
ZesterWhat You Do:
1. Cut chilis in half and scoop out the seeds and membranes
2. Finely chop the chilis until minced
3. In a small bowl, zest and juice the limes, and add the rice vinegar.
4. Add the de-seeded chilis to the bowl and season with salt and pepper
{ You can be generous with the salt because you'll be seasoning the watermelons as well, not just the dressing.}
5. Whisk the dressing together, cover, and let sit in the refrigerator so the peppers can marinate.
6. Cut green and white rind off the watermelon and then cut the watermelon into 1 inch cubes.
7. Chop up the mint and cilantro, waiting to add it until right before the dish is served {Otherwise, it will wilt...}
8. In a mixing bowl, add the dressing over the watermelon and add chopped mint leaves and cilantro to the top. Salt and Pepper if needed.
9. Mix gently and serve immediately.
Enjoy! We hope you have a wonderful Memorial Day Weekend- be safe!
Recipe and Photo Courtesy of Choosy Beggars

While they may never be ordered by a customer, of all the bar supplies you may get for your business, cleaning materials may be the most important. People notice the cleanliness of an eating space before they order, and the quality of the floors and tables often determine whether or not they return. No owner will contend, then, that air fresheners and paper towels may be neglected during stock and inventory, but deciding the types and amounts to buy can be complicated.
Storerooms have a very limited space, and managers must often deliberate what bulk materials and ingredients should be kept on hand. Food, drinks, and dinnerware should always fill the most shelves and floor area, but none of those materials will matter in a filthy business. Cleaning supplies have to occupy storage space as well, but when even brooms come in a dozen varieties, extensive purchases can fill the largest of areas.
When taking inventory, it's important to know how much and how frequently a material is used. Dust mops need to be replaced regularly, but depending on the floor space, they can remain usable for a month, which would make keeping a dozen extras on hand excessive. Similarly, certain upholstery like leather requires special towelettes for upkeep, but these will be needed less than window cleaners and sanitation tablets; these can be purchased and stored as needed.
The biggest danger in encountering so many specialty products is to buy one of everything, just to be prepared. This might be a wise tactic for a maid service industry but rarely a restaurant. The key to these products is the modifier "specialty," and for most general businesses, one generic brand or tool will suffice in functionality. Cleaning supplies and storage of them should be a priority, but careful, tactical purchases will ensure that many more of the true products of a business may be kept stocked and available.
Shop for all your Janitorial Supplies at Mission Restaurant Supply!Need Disposable Janitorial Supplies? We've got it too!

Memorial Day Weekend marks the beginning of summer and what better way to celebrate the season than with a big outdoor BBQ? We have a few ideas for throwing an event of this nature including how you can continually please your guests and customers {while making life a little easier on yourself in the process.}
Throwing a proper BBQ begins with having all the right tools to facilitate the Grill. We have a big selection of grilling tools from big, heavy duty equipment and Lodge cast iron skillets to all the small necessities in between, like scrapers, basting brushes, aprons, tongs, tenderizers and tool sets.
Have you seen our Memorial Day Facebook Giveaway? The 3 piece Outset BBQ tool set (shown; right) is one of our best-sellers and perfect for all your grilling needs. Winners announced May 27!One of the negatives that come with grilling food for a crowd of people is the mess that's made in the process. Make life a little easier on yourself by using Disposables and loading up on trash bags, paper napkins, and plates and utensils that you can simply throw away.
Another way that hosting a BBQ can become instantly easier for you is by letting some of the cookware do the work. That's where we come in. Whether you're making potatoes, macaroni and cheese, or serving healthy sides like green beans or broccoli, keep your dishes warm and ready to serve the whole event long with our Chafing Dishes. We've got a big variety for you to choose from, starting with basic economy lines to ornate silver and copper plated selections. We even have the Chafing Fuel that'll keep the food hot and your guests happy.
Want to add a little Patriotic flare to your venue? It is Memorial Day after all! We've got custom-made Tablecloths and linen napkins in solid red, white, and blue, and we even have patriotic prints to choose from as well. Add a pop of color and commemorate the Holiday by turning to the details...
Add a little heat to the party by serving up something unexpected. OurJalapeno Grillers never cease to please when they're used for serving up delicious stuffed peppers. We even have a Jalapeno corer that'll de-seed the peppers and get them ready for stuffing!
Whether you're catering a party or simply cooking out in your back yard our new Tiki Torches add a lot of pizzazz to the venue and the overall ambiance. Check out our different styles here.
Need some assistance? We can help out!
Call us at 1-800-319-0690 or email us at order@missionrs.com

Happy Summer!

For street vendors and pizzerias, disposable dishware is a basic staple, but how much should other restaurants invest in the materials? From placemats to food pans, nearly every utensil or baking supply is available in a disposable form, which sometimes is more practical than a more permanent piece. Knowing which version is more economically and personally advantageous to a business is an individual decision that changes for everyone. A few tips, though, can help determine when and how an owner should supply disposable products.
1. Carry out:
Even if a restaurant has a dining area that most customers use, certain products like drinks and large meals are not often finished in one sitting. Providing a to-go container in addition to a ceramic plate or hard tray requires a disposable product and a dishwasher. Observing and documenting eating habits for just one week can provide a clear picture on whether or not such double-provisions are the average. If so, switching entirely to disposable containers can save both time and money.
2. Environmental impact:
Many restaurants now are able to market themselves as environmentally-conscious, which can appeal to both customers' interest and personal business integrity. Styrofoam containers are less expensive but notoriously slow to decay into the earth, and providing them may deter customers with green convictions. Foam will always be a staple of restaurant supplies, but the additional cost of biodegradable containers may be worth retaining certain clientele. This will mostly be determined by your location and your target market (for example, a greasy burger joint versus an organic vegetarian restaurant).
3. Trash monitoring:
Not all customers read "Do not discard _____" signs, and a lot of silverware and trays can escape from your business by means of the garbage can. Watch what goes into your trash. If too many plates, baskets, and spoons are being tossed anyway, switching entirely to disposable dinnerware may be wise.

Almost every business has plumbing, but during renovations and maintenance, it can be one of the most important but neglected realms of restaurant equipment. A faucet seems ageless, a grease trap eternal, but proper upkeep and testing of these plumbing supplies and fixtures is essential to maintaining the sources and uses of water--the lifeblood of any restaurant.
Especially in colder regions, winter power outages can drop the temperature of buildings below freezing, putting even the pipes on stainless steel utility sinks at risk to burst. A small drop in water pressure can render any rinse unit completely useless. General wear and calcium buildup also ages and corrodes faucets and the cogs in large utility dishwashers. Every restaurant, café, or deli depends heavily on cleanliness, both for health codes and practicality: a malfunctioning sink can cripple an eatery by stockpiling dirty dishes, and without any source of water, cooking and brewing become impossible in a matter of minutes.
The key safeguard against such a paralyzed business is simple servicing to test the proper functioning of plumbing equipment. Old water filters and disposals in particular have a high likelihood of sudden breakdown, so an investment in more modern machines might be a wise one. Otherwise, keeping spare parts like spindles and replacement valves on hand can be an inexpensive prevention technique. But the most important action is simply not to ignore plumbing. Refrigerators and ranges may be used more consciously, but the fixtures supplying water are indispensable to an operative business.
Shop all plumbing supplies and equipment at Mission Restaurant Supply!

The foodservice industry has long been faced with the issue of grease management, and more generally, how to properly manage waste in commercial establishments and applications. Finding a way to combat this problem has been an ongoing struggle for years.
That's why we are excited to offer a valid solution to the problem at hand:: The Endura Grease Interceptor.
"Designed and injection molded in high performance thermoplastic, the Endura Grease Interceptor provides food service professionals with a proven, reliable and cost effective means of managing the grease produced in their establishments before it can cause an often expensive and very unpleasant problem."
At just 1/3 of the weight of a metal grease interceptor, the Endura thermoplastic grease interceptor is easy to transport, install, and clean, due in large part to its light weight nature. Though these interceptors are light weight, they are built with a heavy duty durability, complete with seamless construction that prohibits leaking. It's also perfectly suitable for the most extreme commercial circumstances. How so? The Endura Grease Interceptor is able to operate continuously at temperatures of 220 degrees F while supporting roughly 440 lbs of load. We have 3 different sizes to choose from: 20 GPM with 70 lbs Grease Capacity, 35 GPM with 115 lbs Grease Capacity, and 50 GPM with a 122 lbs Grease Capacity, all of which have a 440 lbs surface load capacity. Best yet, it's easy to clean with its Quick-Connect latching system that allows for easy access and entry, contrary to the traditional bolted lid that you find on other models.
*These units can be installed on the floor, semi-recessed, or fully-recessed in the floor. They also have versatile connections allowing for easy use with existing plumbing systems.*
One of the qualities that makes the Endura Grease Interceptor stand out is the unique, Patented Baffle System. The interior baffle was constructed to slow the flow of grease and to maximize the efficiency of grease separation- between 93% and 97% (PRI test certification)! It has an award winning Flow Control Device (FCD) that's a crucial part of the Endura design, and its cleanout lid allows for easy access in the event of blockage. Another quality that makes the Endura Interceptor a popular favorite is the airtight seal made up of silicone foam that keeps offensive odors from escaping and spreading throughout the workplace.
If you aren't convinced already that the Endura is the answer to all your grease management problems, consider the incredible warranty offer that's available with its purchase. Endura provides a 10 year warranty period that guarantees your Endura won't rust, warp or peel. We think the innovative design and strength of Endura makes it a great option for the food service industry.
Have questions? Call us toll free at 800-319-0690 or email us at order@missionrs.com .

We're just under a week away from Mother's Day and it's not too late to get a last minute gift! Whether your mom likes to cook or if she simply likes to collect kitchen accessories, we have a range of gift ideas in this quick, last minute gift guide:
FOOD PREP KITCHEN GADGETS
Food prep has never been easier with these great Joseph and Joseph "Slice & Store" cutting boards. Simply use the cutting board and store your knife on the side when finished. We have a range of colors from pink to green and charcoal gray. A slight variation of the aforementioned cutting boards are our "Chop to Pot" boards which have flexible hinges that make moving diced food straight to the pot an easy ordeal. Simply squeeze the handle and transport. These innovative cutting boards are available in orange, blue, pink, green, red, and black and they are Dishwasher safe.
BAR SETS
Keeping your bar supplies consistently well stocked-whether at home or in a commercial setting- is something that we all know is hard to do. From glassware to bar gadgets there's always updating to be done. Our popular Home and Professional 6-Piece Bar Set allows you to stock up on all the essentials in no time. Not to mention it makes a GREAT gift for the cocktail aficionado in your life.
BREAKFAST MADE EASY
Breakfast has never looked so good thanks to our best-selling Texas- Shaped Waffle Maker. This durable waffle maker is easy to use and makes delicious waffles time and time again.
QUALITY FIRST
Let's face it- our mothers deserve only the best in life so that's why we have a full page on our website with "Only the Best" products on the market. From heavy duty silver serving utensils to fine glassware, we've got a great selection of mother's day- worthy gifts.
ENTERTAINING GURU
If your mother is an avid entertainer we know just the thing for her: Proteak! This line has gorgeous wood products from teak cutting boards to butcher blocks, both of which make the perfect display for antipasti and appetizers such as meats and cheeses. Available in a number of shapes and sizes, each board is unique and has its own grain and distinct aesthetic.
Another staple for the entertaining enthusiast is the chafing dish. We have a vast, new selection of high-end chafing dishes, some in silver plate and others in copper, that will jazz up your event in no time. Not to mention these high quality chafers would make for the perfect gift!